Terminal and clamp therefor



July 27, 1948.

G. W. HARPER TERMINAL AND CLAMP THEREFOR Filed Aug. 13, 1945 INVENTOR.

A TOR/YEYS.

Patented Jul 27, 1948 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TERMINAL AND CLAMPTHEREFOR Glen Wood Harper, Manhattan, Kans. Application August 13, 1945,Serial No. 610,620

3 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a terminal and clamp therefor, and moreparticularly to a clamp adapted for use as a battery terminal holder.

Heretofore it has been the custom to place the terminal on the batterypost and clamp it in place by the use of a bolt and nut, the bolt beinginserted through openings in the outer ends of the battery terminal. Itis well known that with devices of this character the terminal bolt andnut will corrode, making it diiiicult to remove the terminal from thepost.

The principal objects of the present invention are to provide a clampwhich may be easily and quickly applied to a cable terminal to hold theterminal on the post of a battery; to provide a device requiring notools for assembling it on the terminal; to provide a device whichinsures positive contact between the terminal and post; and to providea. device which is simple, economical to manufacture, and efiicient inoperation.

In accomplishing these and other objects of I the invention, I haveprovided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of my invention showing the clamp attachedto a terminal engaging a post of a battery or the like.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device showing the clamp in lockingposition.

Fig, 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 but showing the clamp at thebeginning of the clamping operation.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of my clamp shown in disassembled relationwith a battery cable terminal.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

l designates a storage battery or the like having a post 2 to which aterminal 3 of a cable 4 may be engaged as will presently appear.

The clampin device embodying the features of my invention consists of abody member 5 and a locking bar 6. The body and locking bar arepreferably made of spring steel having considerable resiliency, but atthe same time being strong enough to exert a clamping force as willlater be shown.

The body 5 has an elongated portion 5' with one end curved to form asubstantially semicylindrical portion 1 to provide spring to theclamping member. The opposite end of the body is rounded as at 8 to forman end 9 and is curved slightly inwardly as indicated at 10, thenceslightly outwardly and then inwardly, the extreme outer end being turnedslightly inwardly to form a recess of the end 9 as indicated at l5 (Fig.2), when the locking bar is engaged with the body in locking position ona battery terminal. The opposite end of the locking bar is turnedtransversely forming a handle portion IE on the locking bar. It will benoted that the body [2 of the locking bar is recessed slightly asindicated at ll-(Fig. 2), for engaging with the battery terminal whenthe locking bar and body of the clamp are in locking relation to theterminal.

The battery cable terminal is attached to the cable in the usual mannerand comprises a shank l8 and an enlarged end portion comprising arounded head portion I9. The head is provided with an opening 20 adaptedto receive the post 2 of the battery and the head is provided with alongitudinal slot 2| so that there will be a resiliency in the head sothat the terminal may be easily placed over the post. It will be notedthat the outer portion of the slot 2| is slightly larger than the innerportion as indicated at 22 (Fig, 3) The head has outwardly extendingportions 23 and 24 provided with indentations or recessed portions 25and 26 for a purpose later described.

Operation of a device constructed as described is as follows:

The head ill of the battery cable terminal is spread so that the boreopening 20 will fit over and engage the post 2 of the battery. The inneredge of the substantially semi-cylindrical end portion I of the body 5of the clamp is engaged in the recess 25 of the terminal as indicated at21 (Fig. 3). The extreme outer edge of the hook portion iii of theclamping bar [2 is engaged with the recess II in the end 9 of the bodymember with the rounded portion of the hook l3 engaged in the recessedportion 26 of the terminal as indicated at 28 (Fig. 3). Inward pressureis applied to the handle I6 which will exert pressure on the head of thebattery terminal as indicated at 21 and 28 (Fig, 3), and continuedinward pressure will cause the locking bar to assume the position shownin Fig. 2, drawing the head together so that the terminal will be heldfirmly on the battery post. The recessed portion I! of the locking barwill engage the rounded portion of the head and the hook portion of thebar will have its slightly rounded outer portion engaging in the recessl l of the body of the clamp, thus rigidly retaining the locking bar andbody in clamping relation on the terminal.

The inwardly turned portion of the extreme outer end of the end 9 of thebody member will provide the recess ll so that the extreme outer end ofthe hook portion I 3 will engage therein and the spring-like tension ofthe body member will prevent the locking bar from being disengaged.However, regardless of any corrosion of the terminal, the parts may bedisengaged by outward pressure on the handle I6 and the head sprungapart for disengaging from the post for disassembling the terminal fromthe post.

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided an improvedterminal and clamp therefor which may be quickly and easily asseme bledand disassembled from a battery post as above set forth.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the character described comprising, a cable terminal,said terminal having a head provided with an opening adapted to engage apost of a battery, said head having a longitudinal slot locatedcentrally of said head terminating at said opening and providingoutwardly extending arms having recessed portions on the outer surfaceof said head, a clamp for anchoring said terminal to the battery post,said clamp including a body of spring metal having a substantiallysemi-cylindrical portion adapted to engage in the recess on one side ofsaid head and its opposite end turned transversely inwardly and havinga. recessed portion on its inner face, and an arm having a hook on oneend engaging in said recess on said transversely turned portion and therecess in said terminal for exerting inward pressure on said terminal.

2. In a device of the character described comprising, a cable terminal,said terminal having a head provided with an opening adapted to engage apost of a battery, said head having a longitudinal slot locatedcentrally of said head and extending inwardly to a point beyond saidopening and providing outwardly extending arms having recessed portionson the outer surface of said head, a clamp for anchoring said terminalto the battery post, said clamp including a body of spring metal havinga substantially semi-cylindrical portion adapted to engage in the recesson one side of said head and its opposite end turned transverselyinwardly and having a recessed portion on its inner face, and. an armhaving a hook on one end engaging in said transversely turned portionand the recess in said terminal for exerting inward pressure on saidterminal.

3. In a device of the character described comprising, a cable terminal,said terminal having a head provided with an opening adapted to engage apost of a battery, said head having a longitudinal slot locatedcentrally of said head and providing outwardly extending arms havingrecessed portions on the outer surface of said head, a clamp foranchoring said terminal to the battery post, said clamp including a bodyof spring metal having a substantially semi-cylindrical portion adaptedto ngage in the recesson one side of said head and its opposite endturned transversely inwardly and having a recessed portion on its innerface, and an arm having a hook on one end engaging in said recess onsaid transversely turned portion and the recess in said terminal forexerting inward pressure on said terminal, said arm having a recessadjacent the hook to conform to the head of said terminal.

GLEN WOOD HARPER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

